SEARCH-ing for Insurance Coverage
As mentioned earlier in this booklet, healthcare professionals and organizations including MSAA recommend early and continuous treatment of multiple sclerosis through FDA-approved DMTs, if deemed appropriate by one’s doctor. However, MSAA also recognizes that MS is a very expensive disease to manage and having health insurance coverage for doctor’s visits, medications, MRIs, etc. is paramount.
With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014, private health insurance coverage should continue to become more accessible for the MS community and allow people to qualify for certain premium subsidies, which are based on family income. For those with Medicare, the ACA is also helping to close the Part D “Donut Hole,” which refers to a temporary limit on prescription drug coverage.
To help the MS community better understand and utilize health insurance, MSAA developed an online resource center titled: My Health Insurance Guide. This easy-to-use website section accessed at mymsaa.org/healthinsurance features a useful glossary of common insurance terms, downloadable brochures on the ACA and Medicare, an on-demand video and two archived webinars, helpful questions to ask when looking at insurance coverage or appealing a denial, and many other resources.